


Love Me Tinder

by lunchtop



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Miscommunication, Online Dating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:13:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21928771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunchtop/pseuds/lunchtop
Summary: But within a few months, Marco was going on date after date, hooking up with guy after guy, having short-lived casual relationship after sort-lived casual relationship. Jean hoped that, eventually, Marco would run out of men to hook up with, giving him an opening to make his move. There could only be so many gay men on campus, right?Wrong.For the JeanMarco 2019 Holiday Exchange.
Relationships: Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33
Collections: JeanMarco Gift Exchange 2019





	Love Me Tinder

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Friedcheesemogu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Friedcheesemogu/gifts).



> Me? Still invested in JeanMarco in 2019? It's more likely than you'd think!
> 
> I missed signing up for this exchange in 2018, so I'm really glad I was able to this year. I always have such a fun time, and it's nice to revisit an old favorite, even if I haven't cared about AoT in general in a really, really long time.
> 
> This year I was assigned Friedcheesemogu, who wrote one of my favorite fics of all time, "Say You Will (Or That You Wish You Could)". I definitely fangirled a little, when I found out who i was going to be writing for. I really hope you like what I came up with for your prompt, "Modern AU, pining!Jean and super popular sexxy!Marco". I had a lot of fun working on it.

Before saying goodbye to his hometown and heading off to four years of university, Jean Kirstein had the future of his love life all planned out.

It was a brilliant plan, too. Freshman year was going to be all about hookups. Nothing serious, nothing special, just figuring himself out. Practice, sort of. Cementing his reputation on campus as a cool, irresistible, sexy guy. The kind of guy everyone wanted to be, or be with, depending on their preferences.

As much as Jean thoroughly planned on enjoying all of that to the fullest, it was mostly a means to an end. Sophomore year would be all about wooing his target. Once he had established himself as the hottest catch on campus, Marco would _have_ to notice him. 

Notice him in the way he wanted to be noticed, anyway. Marco had been Jean’s best friend since the eighth grade; hypothetically, Jean had every in he needed. But every attempt at getting his attention had been an absolute failure. Even when Jean asked him to prom, Marco had followed the invitation up with a tentative, “As friends, right?”. 

A devastating loss for Team Kirstein, but not a complete defeat. Jean had been confident, back then, that his plan would work, and Marco would be his college sweetheart well before their graduation day.

Fast forward three years, and Operation Sexiest Man On Campus had also turned into a complete and utter failure. Despite all of his attempts, Jean hadn’t managed to land a single date, and had mostly given up on the idea of sleeping his way through the student body about halfway through sophomore year. 

Unfortunately, his own personal shortcomings weren’t the only snag in his master plan. Where Jean’s attempts at promiscuity had all failed, Marco had experienced nothing but success.

It was a twist Jean hadn’t seen coming. Sure, Marco was smart, cute, and nice; anyone would have been lucky to land a guy like that. What was surprising was the fact that Marco wanted to hook up with strangers, and didn’t seem to have any qualms with one-night stands. Jean had always figured that Marco was a one man-man, and that, coupled with the fact that there were a whopping five whole LGBT students at their high school, meant that Marco was just waiting for the right guy to come along. He also figured that _he_ would be that guy, eventually.

But within a few months, Marco was going on date after date, hooking up with guy after guy, having short-lived casual relationship after sort-lived casual relationship. Jean hoped that, eventually, Marco would run out of men to hook up with, giving him an opening to make his move. There could only be so many gay men on campus, right? 

Wrong. No matter how much time passed, the endless flow of dates never ended. Junior year was already half-over, with winter break fast approaching, and Marco had just been dropped off by yet another new boy toy that Jean had never seen before. The fact that Marco didn’t bother introducing him meant that Marco wasn’t planning on bringing him around again.

A theory that was proven true, ten minutes later, when Jean glanced over at his phone, only to find his best friend browsing OKCupid on his phone.

Jean rolled his eyes. His chest burned with more flavors of jealousy than he cared to identify. “Trolling for _another_ guy?”

Marco glanced up from his phone, brows knitted together in confusion. It would have been unbearably adorable, if Jean wasn’t so frustrated with him. “Yeah, so? The semester is basically over, I have more free time now. Might as well have fun, before I have to go home, and pretend to be straight in front of my folks for a few weeks, right?”

“Dude, your last date _just_ dropped you off.”

Marco chuckled, before returning his attention to his phone. “It was just a date, it’s not like it was anything serious.”

“You went home with him last night, didn’t you? Sounds serious to me.”

He laughed again, “In 1950, maybe. I don’t know what you’re so worked up about, Jean; as long as everyone knows it’s just a casual thing, and no one’s getting hurt, why should it matter? It’s just sex.”

 _It’s just sex._ Jean felt his ears turning red; if you’d told him, at sixteen, that Marco would be the one saying those words to _him_ , he never would have believed it. 

“You make it sound so easy.”

“It _is_ easy,” Marco said, waving his phone in the air. “I keep telling you, Jean, all you need is an app. Tinder, OKCupid, it doesn’t matter which one. You’re a good looking guy, I bet you’d get a date in no time.”

“I tried that, remember?” Jean crossed his arms, sinking further into the lumpy sofa. “I never got a single bite. Not even a nibble.”  
  
“You tried in real life,” Marco said, reaching over to flick his nose. “But you’ve never tried this, right?”

“What’s the difference?”

“Well… I donno, for starters, you have a little more control over how you present yourself. You can make a good first impression every time. You also know for a fact that everyone you’re talking to is at least interested in… something. Dating, or just hooking up, whatever that _something_ is, at least you’re not wasting your time on someone who isn’t available. It’s not perfect, I guess, but it’s a good first step.”

Jean had never thought about it like that before. Online dating had seemed like… well, like a copout, almost. Something for people who didn’t have enough game to get any action on their own. As disappointing as his love life had been, up until that point, Jean had never quite reached the point where he was willing to admit that he _was_ one of those people.

And, if Marco liked it… it couldn’t be all bad.

“Fine. I’ve got my last final this afternoon. Maybe, if I’m bored afterwords, I’ll download Tinder and see what all the fuss is about.”

* * *

Marco was right about one thing, at least; once Jean finally swallowed his pride, downloading Tinder was easy enough. Setting up his profile was actually kind of fun. Picking out his best pictures, writing a little biography about himself… 

Using the app wasn’t too bad, either. Within a few hours, Jean was talking to three different people, all of whom seemed… fine. Attractive enough, but not so much so that Jean was ready to stop scrolling for potential matches-

Jean felt like the world stopped turning, when Marco’s smiling, freckled face showed up on his screen. Maybe he should have considered this a possibility from the start; there were only so many people in town, and that number was dwindling as more and more students went home for the holidays. Jean stared at him, thumb poised but hesitant, as he debated on what he should do.

He could swipe left. If the whole point of this venture was to meet new people, Jean was better off keeping up his conversations with the three black-haired beauties in his inbox. Marco hadn’t shown any romantic interest in him before; maybe it was time to cut his losses and move on-

Jean pressed his thumb to the screen and swiped right. Sure, all of those things were true. But what if this was a sign? What if this was his last shot?

It would be, he decided; if Marco didn’t take the bait this time, Jean would cut his losses and… Keep scrolling, probably. For lack of any other options.

Less than a minute later, Jean had a new message in his inbox:

 **Marco** : Haha hi Jean! Looks like you decided to try this out after all! :) What do you think so far?

Jean stared down at the message. Replying to Marco had never been _difficult_ before. They were best friends, they told each other everything. Marco was the one person who was always easy to talk to. But, now… it wasn’t just about talking anymore. It was about flirting.

 **Jean** : I like it. already got one cutie in my inbox ;)   
**Marco** : See, I told you! What are they like? Is it a boy, or a girl, or ??   
**Jean** : it’s a guy. he seems really sweet. his profile says he’s an education major and that he likes movies. he’s got a great smile, too   
**Marco** : Are you going to ask him out?   
**Jean** : sure. are you free tonight?  
 **Marco** : Yeah, I am, but… aren’t you going to try to get a date?

Jean pressed the heels of his palms to his forehead, groaning in frustration. Apparently, not much had changed since prom; if he wanted to take Marco on a date, he was going to have to spell it out for him.

 **Jean** : I am. w/you. you’re the cutie, marco.  
 **Marco** : WHAT ??!  
 **Jean** : so what do you say? ;)   
**Marco** : Oh, well, when you put it like THAT ;) What’s a guy to do?  
 **Jean** : say yes duh  
 **Marco** : lol Alright, that sounds good to me! Want me to pick you up at seven?  
 **Jean** : sure  
 **Jean** : and wear those jeans that make ur butt look good  
 **Marco** : HAHA, my but ALWAYS looks good. But ok. TTYL Jean!

* * *

It became apparent to Jean, very quickly, why Marco was so popular in the local dating scene. Not only did he show up on time, wearing _the jeans_ , but his maroon button-down was left open at the top, just enough to invite curiosity. He had on enough cologne that Jean got a nice whiff of it when Marco held the car door open for him, but it wasn’t overpowering, sitting next to him in the car. He played the music soft enough that they could talk over it, but didn’t mind when Jean turned it up during the chorus of his favorite song.

When they arrived at the restaurant, they didn’t have to wait, because Marco had called ahead and reserved a table. He ordered an appetizer and told Jean he would cover dinner. As much as Jean wanted to object - _he_ was the one who asked _Marco_ out, if anyone was picking up the entire check, it should have been him! - his bank account was looking a little too pathetic to protest a free meal.

Everything clicked into place so easily, with Marco. Just like it always had. Jean was still nervous, of course, still doing his best to impress, but Marco didn’t make him feel like he _needed_ to do that. Marco always made him feel like he was enough.

For the first time, in all their years of friendship, as he watched Marco eat his dinner, Jean wondered if Marco felt that way about him…

“You’re doing great, Jean,” Marco said, as if he had been reading his thoughts. He dabbed the corners of his mouth with his napkin, before placing it back in his lap. “I think you’re just about ready for the real thing.”

Wait. What? “The real thing?”

“Yeah!” Marco grinned. “You’re going to nail your first real date, I have full confidence in you.”

Jean’s nostrils flared. “What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

“Oh!” Marco’s complexion reddened, and he gulped. He looked nervous, the way he always did, on the rare occasion he got into trouble. “I didn’t mean nail, like, sexually! I mean, sure, if you wanted to, that too. I meant, that it’ll go well, when you find someone you actually want to go out with, for real.”

Jean felt like his heart was sinking deeper into his chest. Suddenly, the room was too warm. The light above them was too bright. The woman chatting with her husband two tables over was too loud. 

“Jean?” The tentative question re-focused his attention on the present, where Marco was staring at him. All of the color had vanished from his face, and he looked… worried. And a little scared. “Jean, is everything-”  
  
“Great. Everything’s fine,” Jean insisted, though he was already getting up to leave. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, or where he was going to go, but the thought of finishing up what was apparently a fake date with his best friend was too… _embarrassing_ , for lack of a better word. He was on his feet and heading for the door before, coat haphazardly tugged on, before he’d given it much thought. He was half way down the block, before he realized he was being followed.

“Jean, what are you doing?”

He didn’t bother turning around to reply. “I’m going home!”

“I drove us here!”

“I’m _walking_ home!”

“Jean, you live on the other side of town!” Marco sounded a little less exasperated, now, and a lot more panicked. “It’d take you all night! You’ll freeze!”

“So? It’s not like you’d care if I did-”

Jean gasped, when a sudden hand on his shoulder interrupted him, and before he really knew what was happening, he was being spun around. Marco had managed to catch up with him quickly, and there he was, staring at him, brows furrowed, a hand on each of Jean’s shoulders to keep him from making an easy escape.

“I do care,” he said, his expression melting into… Jean wasn’t really sure what, exactly. He’d never seen Marco look at anyone like that before. Like he was angry, but also deeply troubled, and a little scared; like Marco might burst into tears at any second. “You _know_ I care. We’ve been best friends since middle school.”

“Yeah, well…” Jean trailed off, turning his head so he wouldn’t have to look at face anymore. “You don’t care the way I care.”

“And which way is that, Jean?”

Jean closed his eyes, so tight that it hurt a little. Wasn’t it obvious enough? Did he really need to say it, for Marco to understand?

No, he didn’t. Marco _knew_ , there was no way he didn’t. The two of them had watched too many romantic comedies together, for him to _not_ put two and two together, after an outburst like this. But he was going to make Jean say it, anyway.

And, as much as he didn’t want to, Jean knew he had to. This wasn’t just a silly little argument that they would forget about in a few days. This was his one chance, to say something, to make his feelings known, and if he didn’t take it, Jean would just have to resign himself to a lifetime of watching Marco sleep with guy after guy after guy. Or, worse, find a steady boyfriend.

Still, admitting to his long-time crush, with words, knowing full well that he could still be rejected, thus ruining his friendship with Marco forever, was easier said than done. Jean opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again when he realized he wasn’t quite ready. He tried again, after a few moments of painful silence, and still nothing. 

Alright, maybe it wasn’t easier _said_ , either.

“... Jean? Look, it’s fine, you don’t have to-”

But he did have to, and if his words were going to betray him, maybe Jean needed to rely on his actions instead? Acting on a cocktail of instinct, adrenaline, and desperation, Jean took a half-step forward, hooked a hand around the back of Marco’s neck, and planted a quick, firm kiss on his lips.

They were… soft, surprisingly so, and Jean was positive he caught a taste of strawberry, before he pulled back.

Marco was staring at him, wide-eyed and cheeks red. That kiss had to have been incredibly chaste, compared to… whatever it was he got up to, with his Tinder hook-ups. Jean felt a sudden swell of pride, knowing he was the one who put that blush on Marco’s face.

“Ah, Jean…” He straightened up, and cleared his throat. “I’m flattered, I really am, but…”

Jean felt his stomach drop. Well, so much for feeling proud of himself. “But…?”

“But I can’t just fool around, if it’s with _you_. You’re too… I like you too much, for this to be casual, or a one-time thing. You’re special to me, y’know? I can’t be detached about it, like I can with other guys. I wouldn’t be able to forget about it, and just go on being friends, like it never happened. Being your practice-date was already really difficult. So if that’s all you wanted, I’m sorry, but I can’t be that for you.”

A slow, devilish smirk began to creep its way across Jean’s face, the more Marco rambled on. “Well, if I can’t get away with a one-night stand… Guess I’ll just have to settle for being your boyfriend.”

Marco blinked, “Boyfriend?”

“Yeah,” Jean shrugged, draping one arm over Marco’s shoulder. “That’s the alternative, right?”

For the first time since they left the restaurant, Marco smiled. “Come back and finish dinner first, then we’ll talk.”

**Author's Note:**

> I... might end up continuing this? While editing, I had several ideas about how I'd like to expand on it, stuff that could happen next... Maybe after Christmas, I'll come back and write another chapter or two?
> 
> Anyway, have a happy holidays!


End file.
